At a special Council meeting held today, August 14, Council directed staff to add a non-binding plebiscite question to the ballot for the 2026 Vancouver Election.

Voters will be asked to answer the following “yes” or “no” questions

Vancouver has experienced unprecedented levels of street disorder, open-air hard drug use, and disruption to community safety and individual health. Therefore

Are you in favour of the City of Vancouver strengthening its laws to forbid open-air hard drug (Heroin, Meth, Fentanyl, and Crack) use in public spaces?

Should the City of Vancouver formally ask the Province of BC to convert portions of the old St. Paul’s Hospital, or another similar site, into a secure medical facility that provides acute voluntary and 100-plus involuntary care beds for individuals posing a serious risk to themselves or others due to severe substance use and mental health disorders?

Procedural information 

Council's authority to ask voters a question comes from section 184 of the Vancouver Charter, which allows Council to submit a question to voters for its own information. A non-binding question gives Council information about public opinion. It does not create any legal obligations.

What voters need to know

Voters will receive two ballots:

One ballot for Mayor, City Councillors, School Trustees, Park Board Commissioners and the Capital Plan questions 

One ballot for the plebiscite question

Vancouver voters are not required to vote on every ballot question. UBC/UEL voters can only vote for School Trustees and will not be eligible to vote on the plebiscite question.

Voters have three ways to vote

Vote early on October 3, 7, 10 and 13, from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. at 59 voting places across Vancouver. 

Election Day: Vote on October 17, from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. at any of 85 voting places.